The Messiah Will Come Again

Song: "The Messiah Will Come Again"

Artist: Roy Buchanan

Album: "A Street Called Straight"

Transcribed by: Bryan W. Young (youngbw@centum.utulsa.edu)

Performance Notes: This is an *extremely* difficult song to transcribe.

There is an endless number of bends and slides that are difficult

to note in simple tablature. Because of this I will insert special

explanations before each "measure".

Also, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this transcription,

simply because my ear is self-trained and therefore susceptable to

misinterpretation. My greatest piece of advice is to tell you

to buy the album (either Roy's "A Street Called Straight" or

"Guitar on Fire") else most of the complexity will be completely

lost (along with all the timing).

Note also that I begin transcribing at 1:14, after his soliloquy.

I am not yet able to transcribe the intro; if requested I'll

give it another shot.

"B" stands for bend. "R" means to evenly release the bend

and return to the original note.

(1:14 - 1:28)

e--------------------------------------------------------e

B-----15B16--15B16R15--13--13--13--12--13--12------------B

G-14-----------------------------------------------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

The trick to playing the third "note" in this measure

properly is to strike the string at the 10th fret, bend up

to the 12th, hold and fret the 11th, then return to the 10th

fret while evenly releasing the bend. It is tricky, but can

be done with practice. The "S" business simply means to

slide evenly down to the 4th fret.

(1:29 - 2:04)

e--------------------------------------------------------e

B-10------10B12F11R10--10--12--13\---4--4--4--4--4--4B5--B

G-----12--------------------------\S---------------------G

D----------------------------------\---------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

Each one of these notes is bent. Often one does not return

to the un-bent note before restriking the string. It is

very tricky to hit the note just right. All I can assure you

of is that this tablature accurately represents the number

of times the string is struck.

e--------------------------------------------------------e

B-16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16-B

G--------------------------------------------------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

e--------------------------------------------------------e

B-16--16--16--16--16--16--16-----------------------------B

G--------------------------------------------------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

(At this point, Mr. Buchanan makes an incredible jittery

climb up and down the fretboard that goes all the way to the

bridge. You'll just have to figure this out yourself. I

have no idea how to transcribe it. Just beware -- your

wrist will hurt by the time you have it...)

(2:23 - 4:06)

e-7--7S8--7S5--7-----------------------------------------e

B--------------------------------------------------------B

G--------------------------------------------------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

This is the section I refer to as "The Howling". Here,

like the section earlier, each string is bent a different

amount. You'll again have to listen to the record to hear

it all. Make sure to employ artificial harmonics often.

Also, note that sometimes you return to the original note,

often you don't.

e--------------------------------------------------------e

B-16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16-B

G--------------------------------------------------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

e--------------------------------------------------------e

B-16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16--16-----------------B

G-----------------------------------------16-------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

In the first note of this measure, the string is struck

only once, then bent up and down several times.

e-7B8B7B8B7--7S5--7-----10B11--10---------8B9--8B9--8--8-e

B-------------------------------------12-----------------B

G--------------------9-------------9---------------------G

D--------------------------------------------------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

e-7--8--7--5--3--5B6--5--5-------------------------------e

B---------------------------10--12--13\----4-------------B

G--------------------------------------S-----------------G

D---------------------------------------\----------------D

A--------------------------------------------------------A

E--------------------------------------------------------E

Repeat the section enclosed in bars about nine times. Fade

out.

e---------------------|-10B11--10--8--------------|------e

B-4--4--4--4--4--4B5--|--------------12--10--8S10-|------B

G---------------------|---------------------------|------G

D---------------------|---------------------------|------D

A---------------------|---------------------------|------A

E---------------------|---------------------------|------E

As I said at the outset, this is not necessarily exact.

The wonderful thing about the blues, however, is that it

doesn't have to be played the same way everytime. So play

the song how it sounds best to you.